Reference: Kerry's Medal and Wound Records

compiled | 4/25/2004 | me

[hobson]

Medal/Wound Records
Date	Medal	Signed By/Date	Action	Wound	Treatment
12/2/1968	Purple	Confimation: Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer / 2/28/1969 (stamped date) Certificate: Charles K. Duncan, Chief of Naval Personnel  / 8/10/1969	According to Kerry's own description in Douglas Brinkley's Tour of Duty, the Dec. 2, 1968, mission behind what he has claimed to be his first Purple Heart was "a half-assed action that hardly qualified as combat."	slightly wounded on his arm, "Shrapnel in left arm above elbow. "He had a little scratch on his forearm, and he was holding a piece of shrapnel," Mr. Hibbard said.	Shrapnel removed and appl[ied] bacitracin dressing. Ret[urned] to duty."
2/20/1969	Purple	Confimation: Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer / 3/5/1969 (stamped date) Certificate: Charles K. Duncan, Chief of Naval Personnel / 8/12/1969	Kerry and crew involved in combat PCF 94 came under intense hostile A/W and rocket fire	shrapnel wound in his left thigh	Condition good, prognosis good, presence of NOK is not medically warrented. Treated by MO aboard USCGC Wachusetts and returned to duty with coastal division.
2/28/1969	Silver	Citation: E.R. Zumwalt Jr., Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy Commander, Naval Forces,3 Vietnam / no date Citation: John Hyland, Admiral, U. S. Navy as CINC of PacFlt2 / no date Citation: John Lehman, Secretary of Navy / no date	Admiral Elmo Zumwalt1 later joked that he wasn’t sure if he should give Kerry the Silver Star or court-martial him for his actions on February 28, 1969. Kerry had ignored standard operating procedure as his squadron ferried troops up the river that day. (beached PCF, twice)  And this statement was made despite the fact Zumwalt had personally pinned a Silver Star on Mr. Kerry.	No wound	No treatment
3/13/1969	Bronze and Purple	Bronze: Citation: John Lehman, Secretary of the Navy / no date Purple: Confimation: Donald A. Still, Chief Staff Officer / 4/17/1969 (stamped date) Certificate: Charles K. Duncan, Chief of Naval Personnel / 8/12/1969	Kerry directed his gunners to provide suppressing fire, while from an exposed position on the bow, his arm bleeding and in pain and with disregard for his safety, he pulled the man aboard.	The Personnel Casualty Report from that day says Mr. Kerry "suffered shrapnel wounds in his left buttocks and contusions on his right forearm when a mine detonated close aboard" his boat. Another Source "But the citation for the Bronze Star that he was awarded for the same action described "his arm bleeding and in pain," saying nothing about arm bruises or shrapnel wounds anywhere."	Condition good, prognosis good, presence of NOK is not medically warrented. Treated by Medical Officer aboard USCGC Spencer, returned to duty with coastal division eleven.

Other Service Records
Date	Document	Disclosure	Signed By
??	DD-214N	National Defense Service - Bronze Star with Combat "V" Vietnam Service - Silver Star with combat "V" Vietnam Campaign - Purple Heart (3 awards)	T. Vanstrydonck, LTJG
3/12/2001	DD-215-Feb 2000 Correction to DD 214	Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon Navy Unit Citation Ribbon Republic of Vietnam MUC Gallantry Cross Medal Color with Palm Republic of Vietnam MU Civil Action Medal Color with Palm Delete: Vietnam Service Medal Add: Vietnam Service Medal with 4 bronze stars.5	Dena M. Martin
2/16/1978	Discharge letter	Honorable discharge from U. S. Naval Reserve	Clayick, Jr (illegible)
2/16/1978 stamped 7/13/78	Acceptance of discharge Naval Reserve	Honorable discharge from U. S. Naval Reserve	B. Haynes

1. "For example, the fabled and distinguished chief of naval operations (CNO), Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, told me -- 30 years ago when he was still CNO -- that during his own command of US naval forces in Vietnam, just prior to his anointment as CNO, young Kerry had created great problems for him and the other top brass, by killing so many non-combatant civilians and going after other non-military targets. "We had virtually to straight-jacket him to keep him under control," the admiral said." "Can John Kerry hold on to his lead?", W. Scott Thompson, 2/11/2004
2. John Hyland,CINCPAC - 30 Nov 1967 - 05 Dec 1970 - photo
3. Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr photos (I believe the person pinning the medals on Kerry is Zumwalt.)
4. John Lehman, Secretary of Navy - Feb 1981 - 10 Apr 1987 photo
5. Freeper William Tell has an explanation for the bronze medals here and here.

[hobson]

ping

[PretzeLogic]

Thanx for the ping. Excellent job, Hobson!

[William Tell]

Thanks for the ping.

More research is probably needed regarding the standing orders for operation of the watercraft which Kerry commanded. Violating such orders by beaching the boat would seem to be justified only when the lives of the crew or other friendly forces justify it.

The descriptions I have read seem to indicate that a beaching took place once for the sole purpose of pursuing one enemy combatant. That would not seem to justify disobeying standing orders which are themselves designed to preserve the lives of friendly forces.

If the enemy could expect a beaching as a response to appearance of a single combatant, then they have a perfect opportunity to set-up an ambush. That is probably why the orders were that the craft should not be beached. Kerry probably deserved to be relieved of command. I see no indication that the orders were changed to reflect Kerry's superior judgement in the matter.

It was my experience that military personnel stationed in VietNam were obligated to a twelve month tour of duty. I don't see how Kerry can justify not having fulfilled that obligation.

[hobson]

Thanks! Good questions/observations. When I have time I'm going to google around and see what kind of contemporaneous information I can find.

[hobson]

Correction to entry for 3/13/1969:

I omitted the Bronze Star Citation signed by Adm. Zumwalt.
http://www.johnkerry.com/about/Bronze_Star.pdf